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Sunday, January 03, 2010

Winter Quiet

The temperature slid to eight below zero during the night. Clear sky, no wind, and a bright sun greeted me when I stepped outside the cabin in the morning. Quiet. So quiet, until I began walking and heard the snow creaking loudly as only cold weather snow can.

I walked along my long driveway to the country road that was still ice covered and slippery. The winter sun, slowly sneaking above the horizon far to the southeast cast long shadows on the bluish-white, snow covered fields. The snow sparkled as if someone had scattered tiny little diamonds everywhere.

Arriving at the country road, I heard only the quiet of a cold January morning. I stood for a time listening and feeling the subtle warmth of the winter sun on my face.

On my way back to the cabin, I stopped at the woodshed for an armful of wood, the cabin stove is ever hungry, more so on a below zero morning. Once in the cabin, I poured another cup of coffee and looked out at the diamonds on the snow. A pleasant way to start the day; a restful way to begin the new year.

THE OLD TIMER SAYS: Listen for the silence of winter, when the snow buries the land and the cold tightens its grip, turning breath into clouds and thickening ice on the lakes. There is great beauty in silence, something that we have little of these days.

WRITING WORKSHOP: The dates for my writing workshop at The Clearing in Door County for 2010 are August 8-14. Contact www.theclearing.org for further information.